Tab puller for pull-top cans



Feb, 15, 1966 C. C. OBLANDER TAB FULLER FOR PULL-TOP CANS Filed May 5, 1964 INVENTOR. CHESTER C. OBLANDER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,235,122 TAB PULLER FOR PULL-TOP CANS Chester C. Oblander, 1535 S. Oxnard Blvd., Oxnard, Calif. Filed May 5, 1964, Ser. No. 365,017 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-47) The present invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to a tab puller for a pull-tab can.

The tab puller of the present invention comprises a bar having an opening intermediate the ends thereof. The bar includes a section which forms shoulder or abutment which is disposed below the opening. A lever is pivotally connected to one end of the lever and is provided with a downwardly facing projection which confronts the shoulders or abutment of the bar section.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a pull-top can, a part of the rim thereof is broken away to show the top .of the can and the pull tab, the view also showing the tab puller in position for removing the tab;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the can and tab puller; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a can, partly in section and also showing the tab puller in section, the sections being taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the can is shown at 20 having a cylindrical side wall 22, a bottom closure 24, a top closure including a circular top wall 26, and a circular rim 28. The top wall is provided with an opening 30 which is sealed in closed position by a pulltab 32 new standard on many cans, such as beer and soft drink cans.

The tab puller is shown at 34. It includes a fiat bar 36 having an opening 38 intermediate the opposite ends thereof. A ledge section 44 depends from the bar and is disposed below the opening 38. The upper surface of this ledge section provides an upwardly facing shoulder or abutment.

A lever 40 is pivotally connected by pin 42 with one end of the bar 36. The left section thereof, as viewed in the drawing, is in the form of a handle 45. The right section is provided with a downwardly extending projection 46 which is aligned with the opening 38 in the bar 36 and the bottom of this projection confronts the ledge 44 of the bar.

In the operating tab puller 34, the ledge thereof is Ratented Feb. 15, 1966 hooked below the left end of the tab 32, and preferably the ledge is tapered to a smaller thickness toward the right edge thereof so as to facilitate the entrance of the ledge to below the tab. After the ledge is hooked below the tab 32, the tab puller is lifted, and when lifted, the right end 48 will be brought to bear against the top 26 of the can and the lever will fulcrum about the right end. The lifting of the handle, will cause the bottom of the projection 46 to impinge upon the pull tab and clamp the tab between the projection and the top of the ledge whereby upon continuous upward movement of the lever will cause the tab to be pulled away from the top of the can to open the opening 38 of the can.

Thus it is apparent that there has been provided a simple and inexpensive tab puller which does not require pulling the tab loose from the can by the fingers of the operator.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and described, constitutes preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted falling within the scope of the claim that follows.

I claim:

A tab puller for pull-tab cans comprising in combination:

(A) A bar having an opening intermediate the ends thereof, one end of said bar being adapted to rest upon the top of the can, said bar having:

(1) a section forming an upwardly facing shoulder disposed below said opening, said section being adapted to hook underneath the pull-tab of the can;

(B) a pivot at the opposite end of the bar; a lever pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof with said pivot, one section of the lever on one side of the pivot forming a handle and the section on the opposite side of the pivot having:

(1) a projection extending downwardly through said opening in the bar and confronting the shoulder of said section of the bar and adapted to engage the upper side of the pull-tab when the pull-tab is disposed above said shoulder and when the handle is pulled upwardly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,975,780 10/1934 Courtney 220-47 2,473,870 6/1949 Eastman 81-336 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

R. H. SCHWARTZ, Asisstant Examiner. 

